The Baroness and I had a lovely dinner with friends in Toronto. Their condo in the St. Lawrence market area is gorgeous. Since we were invited to stay overnight, we parked in their private underground garage. Dinner was cooked by Sally, our hostess. It was a mouth-watering medley of gourmet delights, some of them from the Vincent Price cookbook (yes, that Vincent Price).

Our hosts are among the most interesting people we've ever met. They can fill many evenings of fellowship with amazing stories of sailing, food, wine, history, music and financial strategies.

Back to the food... Read and weep. Or better yet, try to whip up some of this stuff yourself...

• Lobster bisque
• Beef tenderloin (ala Vincent Price)
• Mashed potatoes (from Cooks Illustrated)
• Spinach and Swiss chard (from a newspaper article by Lucy Waverman)
• Ricotta cheese tart (from the Rich Stein Mediterranean cookbook)

Wine: Chateau des Jaubertes 2004, Graves AOC -

Not only did hosts Sally and Alex love this wine, but also their other guests, especially Scott, a restaurant owner. The wine has a dark ruby colour; it's floral bouquet speaks of violets with fruity elements of blueberry and blackcurrant. A whisper of leather. Flavours enter the mouth slowly and with a roundness. The dark red fruity notes dominate the light oak treatment. Tannins are supple and ample. A long and fruity finish. The wine was a perfect partner for the tenderloin.

We also opened a 1999 white Chateau des Jaubertes. A special treat because you can't get them very easily outside of France.

Link:	Chateau des Jaubertes